Why does our culture celebrate forgiveness and how can the pressures to forgive cause harm to people who have already been wronged? What role does Christianity play in this cultural pressure, and what are common Christian message about forgiveness? Kaya Oakes, author of Not So Sorry: Abusers, False Apologies, and the Limits of Forgiveness, joins us to discuss the potential problems with forgiveness and their connections to religion. We also explore how religious institutions have sought forgiveness when they have harmed people. How have the Catholic church and the Southern Baptist Convention sought forgiveness for clergy abuse and why might those actions fail to convince many that sincere change and justice will happen? And what are possible models for forgiveness that could be helpful when one has been harmed by an institution, a religious leader, or by another individual?

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We hope you enjoy this episode of the Revealer podcast: “The Limits of Forgiveness.”